• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.100-104
• /
• 1993

Malignant tumors of the paranasal sinuses are quite rare entity, with maxillary neoplasms accounting for less than 1 percent of all head and neck malignancies. When considering the paranasal sinuses alone, 77 percent of cancers arise in the maxillary sinuses. There is no situation more frustrating than the management of the patients with chronic facial pain due to cancer. The initial step in managing patients with cancer pain is the use of oncologic therapy in the form of radiotherapy, surgery, chemotherapy, alone or combined, either to effect a cure or decrease the size of the tumor and thus decrease or eliminate the pain. When oncologic therapy is ineffective in providing relief, the pain must be treated by one or more of the followings: Systemic analgesics and adjuvant drugs, psychologic techniques of analgesia, neurostimulating techniques, neuroablative surgical procedures, regional analgesia with local anesthetics or neurolytic blocks. An 82-year old patient had severe pain of the orbital and infraorbital region due to squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus. We successfully treated this patient with the percutaneous retrogasserian ethanol gangliolysis by a H$\ddot{a}$rtel approach, and the analgesia lasts until the death of the patient.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.55-63
• /
• 2009

Purpose: This study was performed to objectively evaluate the rate of tumor response to hypofractionated radiotherapy for advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Materials and Methods: Thirty-one patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, who were treated by hypofractionated radiotherapy with 3 Gy per fraction for palliative purpose between 1998 and 2008, were reviewed retrospectively. Every tumor-volume was measured and evaluated from CT (computed tomography) images obtained before and 2~3 months after radiotherapy. The radiation toxicity was assessed during and after radiotherapy. A statistical analysis was performed to investigate overall survival, progressionfree survival, and the prognostic factors for survival and response. Results: The median age of the study patients was 70 years. In addition, 85% of the patients were in stage 4 cancer and 66.7% had an ECOG performance status of 1~2. The mean tumor-volume was 128.4 cc. Radiotherapy was administered with a total dose of 24~45 Gy (median: 36 Gy) over 10~25 days. Twenty-nine patients were treated with 30 Gy or more. The observed complete response rate was 12.9% and the partial response rate was 61.3%. Median survival time was 8.9 months and the 1-year progression-free survival rate was 12.9%. The treatment response rate was confirmed as a prognostic factor in the rate of survival. The primary site, stage, tumor-volume, radiotherapy field and overall radiation-dose showed a significant relationship with survival and treatment response. No grade 4 toxicity was observed during and after radiotherapy. Conclusion: There was an objective tumor-regression in about 74% of patients treated by hypofractionated radiotherapy. Further evaluation is needed to select the appropriate fraction-size and patient who may require the additional radiotherapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.8
• /
• pp.4049-4057
• /
• 2016

Background: High-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPV), particularly types 16 and 18, have been found to play an important role in head and neck cancer, including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). p16, a cell cycle inhibitor, has been postulated as a surrogate marker for HR-HPV, since p16 is aberrantly overexpressed in such lesions, especially in HR-HPV-positive OPSCC. However, p16 as a surrogate marker for HR-HPV infection in cancers of the oral cavity remains controversial. Objective: The objectives of the study were to investigate the expression of p16 and the presence of HR-HPV in OSCC and oral verrucous carcinoma (VC) and to determine if p16 could be used as a surrogate marker for HR-HPV. Materials and Methods: Forty one formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues of OSCC (n=37) or VC (n=4) with clinical and histopathologic data of each case were collected. Expression of p16 was determined by immunohistochemistry, focusing on both staining intensity and numbers of positive cells. The presence of HPV types 16 and 18 was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Descriptive statistics were employed to describe the demographic, clinical, and histopathologic parameters. Associations between p16 overexpression, HR-HPV and all variables were determined by Fisher's exact test, odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). In addition, the use of p16 as a surrogate marker for HR-HPV was analyzed by sensitivity and specificity tests. Results: p16 was overexpressed in 8/37 cases (21.6%) of OSCC and 2/4 cases (50%) of VC. HPV-16 was detected in 4/34 OSCC cases (11.8%) and HPV-18 was detected in 1/34 OSCC cases (2.9%). Co-infection of HPV-16/18 was detected in 1/4 VC cases (25%). Both p16 overexpression and HR-HPV were significantly associated with young patients with both OSCC and VC (p<0.05, OR 20, 95% CI 1.9-211.8; p<0.05, OR 23.3, 95% CI 2.4-229.7, respectively). p16 was able to predict the presence of HPV-16/18 in OSCC with 40% sensitivity and 79.3% specificity and in VC with 100% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity, respectively. Conclusions: p16 overexpression was found in 24.4% of both OSCC and VC. HR-HPV, regardless of type, was detected in 15.8% in cases of OSCC and VC combined. The results of sensitivity and specificity tests suggest that p16 can be used as a surrogate marker for HR-HPV in OSCC and VC.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.105-115
• /
• 2005

Purpose: The lymph node status assessed by conventional histological examination is the most important prognostic factor in patients undergoing surgery for oral squamous cell carcinoma. The presence of lymph node metastasis has a strong adverse impact on patient survival even after extended radical resection. Despite these findings, tumour recurrence is not rare after surgery, even when histological examination shows no lymph node metastasis. Recently, molecular-genetically and immunohistochemically demonstrated micrometastasis to the lymph nodes has been shown to have a significant adverse influence on survival in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and histologically negative nodes. The present study sought to determine the incidence and clarify the clinical significance of molecular-genetically and immunohistochemically demonstrated nodal micrometastases and to correlate these data with the stage of oral cancer. Methods: Lymph nodes systematically removed from 71 patients who underwent curative resection between 1998 and 2003 with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were examined molecular-genetically to detect cytokeratin 5 mRNA with RT-PCR and immunohistochemically to detect cells that stained positively for cytokeratins with the monoclonal antibody cocktail AE1/AE3. The postoperative course and survival rates were compared among patients with and without micrometastases, after numerical classification of overt metastatic nodes. Results: micrometastases were detected in 43(60%) of 71 patients by RT-PCR and 26(36%) of 71 patients by immunohistochemistry. By RT-PCR analysis, patients exhibiting a positive band for CK 5 mRNA had a significantly worse prognosis than those were RT-PCR negative. By immunohistochemistry, the presence of micrometastasis did not predict patient outcome. Conclusion: Micrometastases detected by RT-PCR may be of clinical value in identifying patients who may be at high risk for recurrence and who are therefore likely to benefit from systemic adjuvant therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.2675-2680
• /
• 2014

Background: To investigate differentiated thyroid cancer risk factors in natives of French Polynesia is of interest because of the very high incidence of this cancer in the archipelago. Materials and Methods: To assess the role of various potential risk factors of thyroid cancer in the natives of French Polynesia we performed a case-control study. The study included almost all the French Polynesians diagnosed with differentiated thyroid carcinoma between 1981 and 2003 (n=229) and 373 French Polynesian control individuals from the general population without cancer. Results: Thyroid radiation dose received from nuclear fallout before the age of 15, a personal history of neck or/and head medical irradiation, obesity, tallness, large number of children, an artificial menopause, a familial history of thyroid cancer, a low dietary iodine intake, and having a spring as the main source of drinking water were found to be significant risk factors. No roles of smoking habits, alcohol consumption, iodine containing drugs, and exposure to pesticides were evidenced. Conclusions: Except for smoking, differentiated thyroid carcinoma risk factors in natives of French Polynesia are similar to those in other populations. Our finding on the role of having a spring as a drinking water origin is coherent with some other studies and could be due to geological factors.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.17-21
• /
• 2005

Purpose : To evaluate the voices of irradiated patients with early glottic carcinoma and to compare these with the voices of healthy volunteers. Materials and Methods : The voice samples (sustained vowel) of seventeen male patients who had been irradiated for T1a glottic squamous carcinoma at least 1 year prior to the study were analyzed with objective voice analyzer (acoustic voice analysis, aerodynamic test, and videostroboscopic analysis) and compared with those of a normal group of twenty age- and sex-matched volunteers. Average fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonic ratio were obtained for acoustic voice analysis. Maximal phonation time, mean flow rate, intensity, subglottic pressure, glottal resistance, glottal efficiency, and glottal power were obtained for aerodynamic test. Results : The irradiated group presented higher values of shimmer in acoustic voice analysis. There was no significant difference between two groups in other parameters. Conclusion : In this study all the objective voice parameters except shimmer were no4 significantly different between the irradiated group and the control group. These results suggest that the voice quality is minimally affected by radiation therapy for 71 a glottic carcinoma.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.45-50
• /
• 1986

RTOG proposed a multivariate modelling system predicting the response of head and neck cancers to radiation therapy in 1984. The aim of this study was to veri(y whether PPC (Probaility of primary clearance calculated by a multivariate modelling system) had any correlation with the survival in the patients with carcinoma of the nasopharynx following radiation therapy Analysing 81 patients with carcinoma of the nasopharynx treated with radiotherapy between January 1, 1971 and December 31, 1983 at Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center the actuarial 5 year survival rate was $36\%$ and median survival was 39 months. The survivals for Group 1 (27 who had more than $80\%$ of PPC), Group 2 (20 who had between 71 and $80\%$ of PPC), and Group 3 (29 who had less than $71\%$ of PPC) were $66\%$ (median survival months : more than 72), $27\%$ (31), and $4\%$ (12) respectively. There was a definite correlation between PPC and survival among the three groups.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.83-91
• /
• 2008

The goal of reconstruction following ablative therapy for intraoral cancer is the restoration of form and function to permit a return to activities of daily life. Traditional reconstruction includes split thickness skin grafts, myocutaneous flaps and, more recently, various free flaps. Free flaps provide higher level of functional recovery relative to that seen with other techniques but require the complexity of the technique and microvascular anastomosis and thus, extended surgical time and occasionally a second team for harvesting. The platysma myocutaneous cervical flap is a possible alternative for intraoral reconstruction. It is thin and pliable like the tissue provided by the radial forearm free flap. It can be harvested with enough tissue to close most head and neck ablative defects. There is virtually no donor site morbidity involved. This study evaluated 7 patients affected by intraoral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). All patients underwent the resection of intraoral SCC with neck dissection and subsequent intraoral reconstruction with the superiorly based platysma myocutaneous cervical flap. Flap-related complications occurred in 3 patients. Adjuvant radiation therapy was performed in 3 patients. Average follow-up was 24.1 months after surgery, with a range of 8 to 42 months. All patients presented self assessment of discomfort associated with intraoral recipient sites and cervical donor sites. However, the neck function measured by two-inclinometer technique was within the normal range during relatively long term follow-up period. Our study concluded that superiorly based platysma myocutaneous cervical flap is good alternative to free flaps, especially for relatively smaller defects and for the defects appropriate for the rotation arc of the flap.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.9-15
• /
• 1996

Purpose: The traditional approach with surgery and/or radiotherapy(RT) for advanced head and neck cancer Provides anticipated cure rates of $10-65\%$ depending on stages and sites. Recently, combined modality with chemotherapy have been extensively investigated in attempts to improve survival and local control. We retrospectively analysed our experience of 31 patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Materials and Methods : November 1983 to October 1994. 31 Patients with Stage III and IV squamous cell head and neck cancer were treated with RT. Sixteen patients were treated with RT alone, and IS patients were treated with combined RT plus chemotherapy. All patients were treated with 4-MV LINAC and radiation dose ranged from 5000 cGy to 7760 cGy (median 7010 cGy). In combined group, 7 patients were treated with cisplatin plus 5-FU 2 patients were treated with methotrexate plus leucovorin plus 5-FU plus cisplatin or carboplatin, and 6 patients were treated with cisplatin as a radiosensitizer. Results : Median follow up period was 16 months (range 4-134 months). The major responses (CR+PR) were noted in 10 patient ($66.6\%$) of the RT alone group and 14 patient ($93.3\%$) of the chemoradiation group. There was no statistical difference in CR rate between the two groups The overall survival rates at 5 years were $23.4\%$ in the radiation alone group, $23.5\%$ in the chemoradiation group Disease-free survival rates at 3 years were $44.5\%$ in the radiation alone group, $40\%$ in the chemoradiation group. There was no statistical differences in overall survival rates and disease-free survival rates between the two groups. Local recurrences occurred in $71.5\%$ of the radiation alone group, $72.7\%$ of the chemoradiation group and distant metastasis occurred in $14.4\%$ of radiation alone group, $9.1\%$ of the chemoradiation group. The frequencies of complications were comparable in both groups except hematologic toxicity Conclusion : Total response rates in the combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy was relatively higher than radiotherapy alone. But our result failed to show any survival benefit of the combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The accrual of large number of patients and long term follow-un may be necessary to confirm the present result of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.228-235
• /
• 1998

Objectives: Papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid was evaluated as to the effectiveness of diagnostic modalities, lymphatic spread pattern, and therapeutic decision according to tumor size. Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a clinicopathologic findings of 72 papillary microcarcinoma patients who were treated at the over 11 years between 1985 and 1995. The authors divided papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid into two subgroups according to tumor size: $0{\leqq}5mm$ and $5<0{\leqq}10mm$. An analysis including age and gender distribution, diagnostic tools(thyroid sonogram, thyroid scan, thyroid function test, fine needle aspiration cytology, frozen section), pathological examination of lymphnode, and surgical procedures was carried out in each subgroups. Results: The carcinoma of smaller than 5mm were found in 32 patients, and of 6 -10mm were in 40 patients. The average age of patients was 45years and all of them were female. Cold nodules on thyroid scan were noticed in 53 patientss and normal findings were in 15 patients. Suspicious malignant lesions(fine calcification, solid mass, irregular margin) on thyroid sonography were detected in 23 patients and the sonography was more useful in detecting $0{\leqq}5mm$ small sized lesions than other diagnostic methods. FNAC were performed in 17 patients, and 7 patients were diagnosed as having thyroid papillary cancer. But diagnotic rate in $0{\leqq}5mm$ small sized lesions was very low(one of eights).Frozen section were performed in all patients, among these 15 patients were diagnosed as being benign diseases and false negative rates were higher in $0{\leqq}5mm$ small sized lesions than in $5<0{\leqq}10mm$ sized lesions(p-value<0.006). Only thyroidectomies were performed in 24 patients and thyroidectomy with node dissections in 48 patients. The lymphnode metastatic rates were much higher in multifocal lesions(61.5%) than in single lesion. The incidence of cervical lymphnode metastasis was 19.4% in $0{\leqq}5mm$ sized lesions and 47.9% in $5<0{\leqq}10mm$ sized lesions. Postoperative management were performed with TSH suppression therapy(T4, synthroid) in all patients and RI therapy in 29 patients. Conclusion: On the basis of our study, improved preoperative diagnostic tools for papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid was helpful in the choice of surgical treatment. As a result of techninological progress(ultrasonography, FNAC), the pencentage of the discovery of papillary microcarcinoma has been increased. The thyroid ultrasonography was useful in detecting small sized lesions($0{\leqq}5mm$), but FNAC may not be beneficial in detecting small sized lesions($0{\leqq}5mm$). In the surgical procedure, thyroid lobectomy alone should be avoided because of the high rate of bilaterality and multifocality.